Egypt's military says it has killed Abu Duaa al-Ansari whom it identified as the leader of the Sinai branch of so-called Islamic state.

The military carried out a series of airstrikes on the town of El-Arish, killing 45 Islamic State fighters as well as al-Ansari, according to a post on Brigadier General Mohammed Samir's Facebook page.

The post did not specify when the airstrikes were carried out.

Egyptian forces have been batting Islamic militants in the Sinai for years, but has specifically targeted Islamic State fighters in recent months. The U.S. estimates the number of IS fighters there to be in the high hundreds — up to about 1,000.